Washington
– As
part
of
the
Child
Care
and
Development
Block
Grant
Act
(S.
1086)
passed
by
the
U.S.
Senate
today,
Senator
Tim
Scott’s
(R-SC)
amendment
to
ensure
parental
choice
in
child
care
is
headed
to
the
White
House
for
the
President’s
signature.
The
amendment
nullifies
attempts
by
the
U.S.
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
(HHS)
to
limit
the
options
parents
and
states
have
in
regards
to
Child
Care
and
Development
Block
Grant
(CCDBG)
funds.
Senator
Scott’s
amendment,
originally passed
in
March
of
this
year,
would
clarify
that
the
CCDBG
Act
does
not
favor
or
promote
the
use
of
grants
or
contracts
over
the
use
of
child
care
certificates
or
vouchers,
nor
does
it
adversely
impact
the
use
of
certificates
in
faith-based
or
other
settings.
The
most
recent
HHS
data,
from
2011,
shows
that
South
Carolina
uses
only
certificates
to
supply
care
to
families
in
South
Carolina
under
the
CCDBG
program. “I
am
very
pleased
that
my
amendment
was
accepted
as
part
of
the
overall
bill,
and
look
forward
to
the
President
signing
it
into
law
as
soon
as
possible”
Scott
said.
“My
amendment
was
necessary
to
ensure
parents
keep
the
options
they
have
today
in
regards
to
caring
for
a
most
important
part
of
their
lives
–
their
kids.
” S.
1086
reauthorizes
the
CCDBG
program,
originally
established
in
1990
with
a
primary
goal
“to
promote
parental
choice
to
empower
working
parents
to
make
their
own
decisions
on
the
child
care
that
best
suits
their
family’s
needs.”
The
last
reauthorization
was
in
1996
as
part
of
the
welfare
reform
act
and
expired
in
2002.
CCDBG
is
the
primary
source
of
federal
funding
for
child
care
services,
providing
block
grants
to
states
for
child
care
subsidies
for
low-income,
working
families. States
currently
have
the
flexibility
to
provide
for
the
payment
of
child
care
services
through
certificates,
grants
or
contracts,
and
nationally
90
percent
are
awarded
as
vouchers.
However,
HHS
proposed
a
rule
to
increase
the
use
of
grants
and
contracts
over
certificates,
limiting
parental
choice
in
child
care.
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